2018 Hermitage
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Tasting notes
Showing more fragrance and less oak than the 2017 version, Tardieu's 2018 Hermitage boasts perfumed notes of fennel, cracked pepper and red raspberries, plus hints of smoked meat and mocha. Medium to full-bodied, it's richly textured on the palate, finishing long and velvety. Like all of the Tardieu-Laurent Northern Rhône from 2018, it's approachable now, yet this one could age for a decade or so.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
80% Marsanne (over 50 years old), 20% Roussanne (over 40 years old). Pierrelles, Beaume, Murets, La Croix. 24 months in new and one-year-old oak barrels (Allier, Tronçais, Jupille). Cask sample. Firm and slightly medicinal. Herbal and sinewy and exciting – sui generis with a wonderful structure and firm undercurrent. Blossomy but there is every sign that this will eventually be more serious. Juicy and youthful. Likely to have two periods of drinkability but I will suggest only the first. (JR)
Aged for 12 months in oak. Cask sample. Tasted blind. Creamy, nutty nose with dried-apricot fruit. Bitter herby character on the finish. Savoury spice adds some complexity too. Almost austere at present, and should age well. (RH)
The 2018 Hermitage shows lots of Le Méal-like character in its ripe, sexy bouquet of black raspberries, melted licorice, roasted meat, and smoky, barbecue-like aromas and flavors. This full-bodied, powerful wine has a wealth of fruit, ripe, sweet tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a great finish. As I’ve written in the past, this is a top-flight estate making a bevy of brilliant wines from both the northern and southern Rhône. The wines fall into the progressive category and are largely brought up in barrels, with some new, yet the wines never lose their typicity or character. If you like rich, textured, yet pure and impeccably made wines, give these a go.